Blind off valve



1935. F. J. WINTERSON Er AL 2,017,383

BLIND OFF VALVE Filed Sept. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR$ ATTORNEY 06L 1935- F. J. WINTERSON ET AL 2,017,383

BLIND OFF VALVE Filed Sept. 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V/ZZm M/ %%W a INVENTORS BY d/v40 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES BLIND OFF VALVE Frank J. Winterson,

T. Dudley and John Lockport, 111., and Andrew Carlstrom, Port Arthur,

Tex., assignors to The Texas Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 10, 1932, Serial No. 632,494

1 Claim.

Our invention relates to valves and more particularly to a valve for blinding off hot oil lines in which it may be situated, and which will effectively open or close the line while permitting ready and instant determination of the fact that the valve is in its open or closed position.

Our invention has special adaptation in the treatment of hydrocarbon oil, in a system where the oil after being heated is delivered to an expansion drum in which the lighter constituents are vaporized and from which they may be withdrawn, a cokey residue being deposited in the drum. In systems ofthis kind it is often desirable to use two or more expansion drums so that as each drum is filled with coke it may be shut or blinded ofi from the remainder of the system and cleaned while the operation is being continued by using the other drum or drums. In cleaning such vessels it is necessary to securely blind off the hot oil charge lines and the vapor lines connecting therewith in order to protect workmen entering the drum and accordingly in the past it has been the practice to provide one or more gate valves in each line which may be operated to close off the line, and as a further precaution, after the line has been closed, tosecurely block it off by installing a conventional blind flange. In blinding off hot oil lines according to the usual practice there is always danger to workmen of burns due 30 to the necessity of breaking or disconnecting the I line to install a blind flange, and it is an object of the invention to provide a valve de ice for blinding off a pipe line which may be installed permanently in a line and which will be equally as safe, efiective and positive in operation as an ordinary blind flange while requiring a minimum of efiort in its use.

In carrying out our invention we have provided a housing adapted to be connected or mounted in the pipe line and a rotatable valve in the housing having an opening which, when in the open position, serves to effect a passage through the pipe line and which, when in the closed position, coincides with an opening in the housing so that an operator can look directly through the housing and valve and thus be advised that the valve is closed.

The invention will be better understood by a consideraion of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is an elevation partly in section of a valve constructed in accordance with the invention showing the valve in its open position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line of Fig. 1, while Fig. 3 is a partial section showing the valve in its closed position.

Referring to the drawings, apair of pipe nipples II and I2 are provided which may be secured in any manner to adjoining sections of 6 pipe and which are flared as at I3 to engage the body or housing portion of the valve and machined as at I4 to form spherical seats adapted to engage a ball shaped valve member I5. The valve I5 is provided. with an opening I6 bored 10 through the center thereof corresponding in size to the inside diameter of the pipe nipples I I and I2. The seats I4 are preferably of rather narrow face so as to afford an eifective joint with the ball shaped member I5. The body or housing portion of the valve includes a flange member II having an opening therein adapted to engage the pipe nipple I I and a complementary box shaped housing member I8 having an opening therein adapted to engage the pipe nipple I2 and having 20 a flange portion I9 which is secured to the flange member H as by a set of bolts 20. The bolts 20 are spaced around the flanges I1 and I9 and. are adapted when tightened up to. draw the flange member I1 and the box member I8 together and 26 to force the ball member. I5 rigidly on its seats I4 in the ends of the pipe nipples II and I2. The housing member I8 may be provided with reinforcing fins I 8a if desired. The ball shaped member I5 is rotatably positioned in the box 30 shaped member I8 so that when the bolts 20 are loosened it may be given a quarter turn in either direction so that the passage through the opening I6 and the pipe nipples II and I2 may be alternately-opened and closed. Valve stems 2| and 22 3 are provided and are rigidly fastened to the ball shaped member I5 and extend through openings 23 in the box shaped member I8. The stems 2| and 22 have squared ends 24 suitable for engagement with a wrench for opening and closing the 40 valve. The valve stems are preferably inserted in countersunk holes formed in the ball member I5 and keyways may be fashioned in the stems and in the ball member to accommodate keys 25 adapted to secure the stems against rotation with 45 respect to the ball member. Holes may be bored lengthwise of the stems to accommodate bolts 26 which are screwed directlyinto the ball member I5 to secure the stems thereto. Openings 2"! are. drilled in the wall of the box shaped member I8 to register with the opening I B in the ball member so that when the valve is fully closed the opening IE will be exactly in line with the openings 27. To further assist in aligning the opening it of the ball member with the pipe nipples II and I2,

to cooperate with corresponding grooves 29 in the box member l8 so that when the valve is fully open the grooves 28 will be exactly in line with the grooves 29.

In assembling the valve as herein shown and described, the pipe nipple I2 is first thrust through the opening in the box member l8 so that the rim of the opening engages the flared portion l3 of the nipple. The ball member i5 may be placed in position within the box shaped member l8 and resting against the pipe nipple i2, and then the stems 2| and 22 may be inserted in the countersunk holes in the ball member I5 together with the keys 25 and secured to the ball member by means of the bolts 26 which are screwed directly into the latter member. The pipe nipple Il may be thrust through the opening in the flange member I! so that the rim of the opening engages the flaring portion l3 of the nipple after which the two body portions of the valve may be joined together by adjustment of. the bolts 20 to-complete the assembly. The pipe nipples II and I2 may be secured to adjoining sections of pipe in any suitable manner as by welding or by appropriate fittings.

It will be observed that the valve is so constructed that it may be positively and quickly determined whether it is open or closed and accordingly an operator may open and close the valve with a feeling of certainty that it is fully opened or that it is securely closed. when the valve is open there is a clear passage through the opening I6 in the ball member l5 and the pipe nipples I I and I2 and at the same time the grooves 28 will register with the grooves 28 as shown in the drawings, Fig. 1. n the other hand when the valve is closed the passage through the opening it and the pipe nipples I I and I2 will be broken and at the same time the opening it will register with. the openings 21 in the box shaped member is so that the operator may see daylight therethrough. Should the operator so desire he may place a bar or rod through the opening I 6 and thus make doubly sure that the valve cannot be opened accidentally while he or others may be working in the drum.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbeiore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, only such limitationsshould be imposed as are indicated in the appended claim.

We claim: I

A valve device comprising a pair of pipes connected in a pipe line, a valve body comprising a pair of clamping members connecting said pipes each of said clamping members being secured to the end of one of said pipes, a ball valve disposed between said clamping members and having a passage therethrough, seats for said valve in the ends of said pipes, means for rotating said valve, bolts connecting said clamping members and adapted when tightened up to draw the clamping members 26 together and to force said valve rigidly onto its seats, the arrangement being such that the valve may be rotated to open and close the passage through said pipes upon loosening said bolts, and

one of said clamping members being provided with 30 a transverse opening opposite the passage in said valve so that an operator can determine when said valve is in its closed position by directly observing said valve passage through said opening.

FRANK J. WIN'I'ERSON.

ANDREW 'r. DUDLEY. JOHN CARLSTR/OM. 

